'PM Modi Didn't Compromise on Farmers' Interests': Piyush Goyal on India-US Deal
Piyush Goyal’s defence of the India-US trade deal in Parliament led to opposition uproar and adjournments.
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Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal addressed the Lok Sabha on 4 February 2026 regarding the recently announced India-US trade deal. His statement was met with significant opposition protests, resulting in repeated adjournments of the House. The deal, announced after negotiations between India and the United States, includes a reduction in US tariffs on Indian goods and the exclusion of sensitive agricultural and dairy sectors from the agreement.
According to Deccan Herald, Piyush Goyal stated in the Lok Sabha that the trade deal would create new opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and that tariffs on Indian goods in the US market would be significantly lower than before. The session was marked by massive sloganeering from opposition MPs, prompting Speaker Om Birla to adjourn the House until 2 p.m.
As reported by The Hindu, Goyal informed the House that further meetings between Indian and US officials would be held to finalise the deal’s details, which would be made public upon conclusion. He emphasised that India had successfully safeguarded key sectors, particularly agriculture and dairy, during negotiations. The announcement followed a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, after which the US agreed to reduce tariffs on Indian exports to 18%.
Session coverage indicated that the opposition’s disruption of Goyal’s address led to the suspension of eight opposition MPs for the remainder of the session. The standoff intensified as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi protested being prevented from speaking on national security issues, further escalating tensions in the House.
In the wake of the trade deal, reporting indicated that the agreement exempts Indian dairy and sensitive agricultural items from tariff reductions, while Indian goods worth $10 billion may receive zero-duty entry into the US. The deal has sparked a war of words between the government and opposition, with Congress demanding full disclosure of the agreement’s terms in Parliament.
Analysis showed that the parliamentary session was repeatedly disrupted, with papers being thrown and further adjournments following the uproar over Goyal’s statement. The suspension of MPs was attributed to violations of House rules and disorderly conduct.
As noted in an article by The Hindu, Piyush Goyal reiterated that the trade deal would not include sensitive agricultural items and dairy, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had consistently protected these sectors. Opposition parties, however, accused the government of failing to communicate the deal’s details and criticised the announcement being made on social media before Parliament was informed.
“The Prime Minister is constantly concerned about our farmers, those associated with animal husbandry, and the dairy sector. He has never allowed their interests to be compromised. In this US trade deal, the sensitive sectors of agriculture and dairy have been protected,” Piyush Goyal stated.
Further details revealed that the deal is expected to benefit labour-intensive and export-oriented sectors such as textiles, apparel, seafood, engineering goods, and technology. Goyal emphasised that the agreement would help integrate India into global value chains and attract significant investments, while also providing access to advanced technology and data centre infrastructure.
Coverage revealed that while the reduction in US tariffs has been welcomed by Indian industries, questions remain regarding the implementation timeline and the full scope of India’s commitments. The government has stated that the final details are still being negotiated and will be shared soon, with assurances that sensitive sectors will remain protected.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.